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Author: mimin

Discovering that you have a broken tooth can be pretty scary. But you do not have to worry because it can be repaired. There are several cosmetic and restorative treatments available today that can repair damaged teeth. The right procedure for you will depend on the extent of damage on your tooth, based on your dentist’s assessment. Below are five procedures that can help repair a broken tooth.

Dental Bonding

Lasting up to 10 years, composite bonding can a repair cracked, chipped, discolored, misshapen, decayed and gapped tooth. The procedure starts by roughening the tooth and putting on conditioning liquid. Putty is then applied, molded and smoothed before it is hardened using UV light. Once it dries, it is then shaped and polished to match the rest of the teeth.

Veneers

Veneers are basically covered for the teeth. Usually made of porcelain, it is bonded to the front of the tooth to transform its appearance. It can last for up to 30 years with proper care before it will require replacement. Veneers are a great option for many people, but this might not be a good one for those who grind their teeth as it can wear the appliance down.

Crowns

A broken or chipped tooth that causes pain when you drink or chew might require a crown. One of the most common restorative dental treatments, a crown is a cap that covers the tooth to protect and improve appearance. Otherwise, your damaged tooth will not be able to withstand the pressure that comes with chewing. Crowns are made for every patient to perfectly match the rest of their teeth.

Root Canal

A crack in the tooth that extends to the pulp is treated with a root canal. Root canal therapy involves removing decayed tooth matter and the nerve. It has a reputation for being painful but only minor pain and discomfort is expected when done right. A toothache, swelling, and sensitivity might necessitate a root canal. Otherwise, these problems can lead to serious problems like bone loss and abscess.

Dental Implant

A crack that extends below the gum line means that tooth can no longer be treated and can no longer be saved. In this case, you will need to get it extracted. A dental implant works as an excellent replacement for your natural tooth. They act as the new root of your tooth, securely placed in the jawbone to ensure a lasting fit.

If you think you have broken or cracked your tooth, get it examined immediately. Doing so will help avoid further damage and even possible infection. Prompt treatment can also help save your tooth, thanks to modern dental technology. Talk to your dentist to learn more about the effects of a broken tooth and how you can prevent it.

Sure, they claim to be cavity and gingivitis fighting, whitening, breath freshening and overall safe to use. Isn’t that what we want?

A closer look at the ingredients found in most traditional tooth pastes, however, will reveal that they likely cause more harm than good.

The common, hazardous ingredients in regular tooth pastes include:

Fluoride

Sodium Lauryl Sulfate

Triclosan

Glycerin

Titanium Dioxide

Artificial Sweeteners

Why are these bad?Fluoride may be the ingredient you may have heard the most about. This chemical is found all around us in the air we breathe and the tap water we drink. Fluoride supposedly is the tooth paste ingredient that fights and prevents cavities. This ingredient, however, is in a form that is toxic when too much of it is ingested. In fact, just putting some in your mouth twice a day when brushing your teeth can put you at great risk of dangerous accumulations in the body.

Sodium lauryl sulfate is the ingredient used to create that iconic tooth paste foam. This chemical, however, is an unnatural substance that isn’t found or produced by the body.

Triclosan is a chemical added to tooth paste as an antibacterial agent to fight gingivitis. However, a Mayo Clinic article states that studies have shown that triclosan is often an unnecessary additive that can negatively affect the immune system.

Glycerin is an ingredient in tooth paste that gives it that moist, pasty texture. Glycerin, however, leaves a coating over teeth that keep them from getting essential minerals.

Titanium dioxide is seen by some as carcinogenic. As the mouth is composed of much soft tissue, the tiny particles of this toxic chemical can easily get absorbed into the body, causing damage to its cells.

Artificial sweeteners are compounds that we’re taught to avoid in our diets. Why do we consume them in our tooth paste if they are bad for the body? Sorbitol and saccharin are two such artificial sweeteners that are commonly found in tooth paste.

With all these harmful ingredients in tooth paste, how can one take adequate care of their teeth and gums?

Over the years more natural, and safer alternatives have hit the market.

Here are just a few of the options:

Bicarb Soda

Bicarb soda is the combination of coconut oil, baking soda and peppermint oil. It is easy to make and is a great tooth whitener. Use caution when brushing because of the abrasive nature of baking soda.

Activated Charcoal

Charcoal has been used for thousands of years as a way to clean one’s mouth and whiten one’s teeth. The charcoal naturally binds to toxins in the mouth whereby reducing the bad bacteria that causes tooth decay and gum disease. It is important to only use activated charcoal designed for cooking.

Sea Salt Mouth Wash

Another teeth cleaning alternative is simple sea salt and warm water. To reduce the amount of your fluoride intake, use filtered, bottled water. Limit the amount of sea salt to two teaspoons maximum. Avoid iodized table salt as many of the health-boosting minerals have been taken out.

Gargle with the salt water for 20 seconds and you’re done.

Coconut Oil

Coconut oil has become a popular, natural alternative for a variety of health and body uses from shampoo to face scrubs. Coconut oil is also a great way to clean and whiten your smile.

Coconut oil can be applied to a toothbrush in a solid state or be “pulled,” or swished in the mouth for 5-20 minutes in its liquid form. For oil pulling, apply two tablespoons of warmed coconut oil directly into the mouth.

When caring for your teeth and gums, you don’t have to be limited to traditional tooth paste which can cause more harm to your dental health than good. Bicarb soda, activated charcoal, sea salt and water and coconut oil are a few natural, safe tooth paste alternatives that are effective in reducing tooth decay and gum disease.

There is a unique and fragile relationship between all the structures of our hands. An injury or disease affecting any of the bones, ligaments, tendons, nerves, skin, joints, or blood vessels can completely restrict the use of our hands, wrists, forearms, and even our elbows. Knowing the multitude of purposes they serve, including eating, dressing, and performing our jobs, when trauma occurs it can be disabling and frustrating. Injury can be caused by work-related accidents or repetitive use of the fingers and extremities. If spending time doing hobbies or performing normal daily routines are interrupted by extremity pain, it is probably time you seek medical advice from hand surgeons.

An estimated 16 million people in the U.S. seek out care for fist-related injuries each year. These hand surgeons are required to obtain an additional year of specialized training beyond their board certifications for orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery, and general surgery. The need for this exclusive medical training dates back to World War II, when many soldiers sustained hand-related injuries and required military surgeons to obtain additional training. Up until this point, injuries and wounds rarely healed properly due to a lack of appropriate care.

A majority of these physicians also carry expertise in dealing with issues related to the arms, shoulders, and elbows. Common ailments these doctors treat are

– Sports-related injuries of the extremities and wrists
– Fractures, including in the wrists and forearms
– Tennis elbow
– Amputations
– Creating fingers from toes and other joints
– Carpal Tunnel Syndrome
– Arthritis, including that of the wrists and elbows
– Lumps on the hands and arms
– Tumors causing tingling, pain, and numbness
– Injuries to the nerves and tendons
– Congenital limb differences (birth defects)

A common misconception is that this field deals strictly with surgery. Hand surgeons try to heal a patient without resorting to surgery and often recommend non-surgical treatments including splints, physical therapy, injections, ice therapy, rest, and medications. Should surgery be necessary, it can be performed under either general or regional anesthetics. Over 90 percent of these procedures are performed under local anesthesia, where you receive an injection in your arm or upper chest area to numb the nerves running to the arm. Delays in both diagnosis and treatment can cause a reduction in your range of motion and even long-term disability. The gravity of these injuries is why as soon as pain or discomfort is felt in any of the lower extremities, you should consult a doctor.

Despite the high demand for these physicians, it is not an attractive surgical field of study. For a newly graduated medical students, the best route to landing positions as hand surgeons by working within that related medical environment. Additionally, internships often lead to secured positions within this field because the candidate has already gained insight into this specialty. These doctors are employed either in a private practice or within hospitals or clinics.

Research has shown that using your non-dominant hand will grow brain cells and also enhance your creativity. I’m glad to know this, because I’m going to be testing this very soon.

I need to have surgery on my right shoulder- and my right hand is my dominant hand. I’ve been cautioned that I won’t be able to use my right hand at all for two weeks and that my right arm will be in a sling for a number of weeks.

Since I injured myself over six months ago, I have been using my left arm as much as possible, simply because my right arm hurts so badly. However, in recent months I’ve started to practice using my left hand with greater intentionality to perform those daily tasks that, until now, I have always taken for granted: dress, brush my teeth, make food, pour liquids, give my cat his medicine, collect my vitamins, scoop cat litter, bathe, carry things, etc.

I have yet to practice writing and eating with my left hand, but since my surgery is less than a week away, I’d better get to it.

Web research and wise friends and family have given me terrific suggestions to help me weather this unfortunate but necessary right hand and right arm hiatus. For example, a water pick and an electric toothbrush make teeth cleaning a lot easier.

I know that slip on shoes and button down shirts are a must- as is a recliner, since I won’t be able to sleep in a bed (or get in and out of a bed) for one or two months.

I love to do Sudoku and I just learned that I can do it with my left hand on an iPad, since I can enter the numbers with one of my fingers. Sudoku is one of the ways I relax and I’m so glad I won’t have to give it up.

Over the past six months, I have learned to make accommodations. I have primarily used my left arm to carry heavy things- although my adult children and friends have taken over most of my weighty needs.

My son empties my car and carries in groceries and three 40-pound bags of cat litter at a time into the house. He has taken over filling the six bird feeders, carrying out the garbage and mowing my lawn.

My daughter pushes and fills the grocery cart and cuts whole watermelons for me. I’m very lucky that they both live relatively close to me.

Kind friends and colleagues have carried my training materials and helped me set up training rooms: moving tables and chairs, putting the kites up on the walls, filling the candy bowls and putting them on the tables, distributing table top and participant materials, etc. I could never have managed to keep conducting training programs over this past half year without their wonderful support.

How did I hurt my shoulder? I pulled four very heavy pieces of luggage through an airport on my way to Jordan and Dubai and apparently tore a tendon. I also have a torn rotator cuff and an impingement (essentially bone scraping on bone).

During the course of traveling on different planes and having to climb up steep stairs to board them, I further aggravated and inflamed my arm and shoulder. I quickly learned to ask people around me to help me go up stairs or stow luggage up above my seat. I literally had no choice.

My surgeon wanted to schedule my surgery much sooner, but I had training commitments I needed to fulfill. Even now, I am sorely (!) tempted to put off the surgery even longer because I worry about being unable to do my work. However, there will never be a perfect time, so I’ll just have to handle it now.

When I ask myself what I am supposed to learn from this situation, there are a number of answers that pop into my mind. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. It is often all right and sometimes mandatory to ask others for help. I am so lucky to have friends and family to help me through this.

2. It will be a good experiment in neuroplasticity to see if using my non-dominant hand will make me smarter and increase my creativity. Those would be wonderful and welcome side effects!

3. Acting as if I am strong like a bull has gotten me into this predicament. When I travel for work in the future, I will box and mail materials ahead and make sure to use a porter for any and all luggage

4. As much as I absolutely hate to acknowledge this fact of life, I am older and need to be more realistic about my physical capabilities and more diligent in properly accommodating my physical limitations.

5. It will be a test of my self-discipline to resist the gravitational pull of my desk for two full weeks. Creating materials and articles has been a daily habit for decades.

6. When I don’t listen to my body, it eventually does something so dramatic that I have to pay attention. I need to finally learn and remember this lesson.

7. I have always prided myself on my independence. Now I need to recognize and accept that there is no shame when I have to rely on others.

8. Knowing that I will be sidelined for a while has prompted me to become better at setting limits and managing expectations- for myself and for my clients.

9. If my pain is not taken seriously by medical professionals in the future, I will not hesitate to demand an MRI!! Early diagnosis would have saved me six months of agony.

10. To everything there is a season, and this is my time to rest and heal. I plan to come back smarter and stronger!

If you’re living with chronic hand or wrist pain, chances are you desperately want relief. Many times, non-surgical treatment is quite effective as a remedy for hand and wrist pain. However, there are circumstances in which hand surgery is the only long-term solution.

So when is it time to consider undergoing hand surgery for your carpal tunnel syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, or other hand condition?

When Do I Need Carpal Tunnel Surgery?

You might be suffering from carpal tunnel syndrome if you have:

Numbness or tingling in the thumb, index, middle, or half the ring finger

Pain relief is the main purpose for performing most hand surgeries, including carpal tunnel release surgery. Individual pain thresholds vary, so some individuals let the condition progress further than others before they consider hand surgery. In most cases, carpal tunnel patients decide that hand surgery is necessary when they start experiencing numbness in the fingers, severe nighttime pain, and radiating hand pain.

There are three different surgical options to address carpal tunnel pain:

Rheumatoid arthritis has no known cure. This is a chronic inflammatory, autoimmune disorder, meaning the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks its own tissues. Because of this, rheumatoid arthritis treatments mainly focus on controlling symptoms and preventing joint damage.

You might have rheumatoid arthritis if you are experiencing:

Tender, warm, swollen joints

Morning stiffness that can last for hours

Rheumatoid nodules – firm bumps of tissue under the skin on the arms

Fatigue, fever, weight loss

Since there is no absolute cure for rheumatoid arthritis of the hand, medications can reduce joint swelling, relieve pain, and prevent or slow joint damage, but very little else.

The best treatment is to manage rheumatoid arthritis symptoms as best as possible from early on. Being proactive in this way will hopefully prevent or slow irreparable damage to your hands.

Unfortunately, many who suffer from hand and wrist arthritis don’t take action until they feel significant pain and the damage has already begun. Severely damaged joints due to rheumatoid arthritis of the hand make hand surgery necessary.

If medications and other treatments fail to prevent joint damage from rheumatoid arthritis, there are several surgical procedures to consider:

Total joint replacement – Damaged parts of joint are removed and replaced with a prosthesis made of metal or plastic

Tendon repair – Surgical repair of the tendons around joints that may have loosened or ruptured

Joint fusion – For when joint replacement is not an option; two joints may be fused together to stabilize or realign a joint, often resulting in pain relief

It is difficult to regain full function of the fingers after damage from rheumatoid arthritis, but significant improvement in function, pain, and appearance can be expected after this kind of hand surgery. Removal or repair of the arthritic areas will not remove the cause of the disease, meaning problems can return, which will require additional attention from your hand doctor.

Is There a Surgery to Remove Ganglion Cysts?

Ganglion cysts are very common and usually appear on the wrist. The cyst is a pocket of fluid that has built up on a weak spot of the ligament wall. Ganglion cysts are almost always benign, meaning they are non-cancerous.

In general, ganglion cysts do not cause pain or limit a person’s range of motion. Of course, this is not always the case. In some individuals, cysts like these can become chronically painful and must be treated.

The least aggressive treatment for a ganglion cyst is rest. It is recommended for those who are not experiencing pain or discomfort from their cyst. A hand doctor will recommend immobilization of the cystic hand or wrist, either with or without a splint. Ganglion cysts can go away on their own, but only with time.

The next, more aggressive option is aspiration, which simply means draining the cyst of built-up fluid. A hand doctor, who will use a needle and syringe to draw out fluid contained in the cyst, performs this procedure using local anesthesia. Aspiration is a good temporary solution with little to no recovery time. However, the cyst is likely to reappear, as the “root,” or the sac, will eventually heal where it has been punctured and begin to fill up again gradually.

Surgical excision is the most thorough treatment option for getting rid of a ganglion cyst. Patients who resort to hand surgery usually do so because their ganglion cyst has become painful or uncomfortable. Close proximity to a nerve, for example, could cause a great deal of discomfort and pain, especially with range of motion.

Surgical excision, performed by a hand doctor, usually only takes about 20-30 minutes. This method has the least chance of the cyst re-forming. This is because the root, or the sac, trapping the fluid is completely removed so that it cannot close and fill up again.

Ultimately, they are your hands and wrists, and you only get one pair, so take care of them! It may be easier to ignore pain when it first appears, but visiting a hand doctor right away for your condition could ultimately save you from needing surgery to correct the damage.

Hopefully you’ve been heeding my advice and you’ve gone to see your doctor about your hand pain. I’m going to guess that if he told you that he thinks you have carpal tunnel syndrome, he probably gave you a brace (or splint) and told you to come see him in a month. Hopefully he has referred you to a hand therapist or hand surgeon, and now you’re just waiting to see what happens next. Don’t panic. Once you understand what’s involved, I think you’ll feel a lot better.

So, let’s talk about that. What IS next?

First of all, let’s talk about what carpal tunnel syndrome really involves. Because if there is something that I’ve learned over the years, it’s that people don’t get a good explanation of what is really going on inside their hand. And as I always say, knowledge is power.

Your “carpal tunnel” is a space in the base of your palm that is formed by several wrist bones and a thick ligament. Imagine it like this: Make an “O” shape between your thumb and your index finger. Now, hold your arm in a way that forces your palm to be facing the ceiling. The bottom half of the circle is a group of bones. The top half of the circle is a ligament. You’ve just created a mock-up carpal tunnel.

Through that “tunnel”, you have several tendons (that make your fingers bend) and one very important nerve that operates your thumb muscles and also gives you sensation to your thumb, index, middle, and part of your ring finger. Over time, if those tendons swell, they will crush the nerve against the wall (which is the ligament we talked about earlier) and that pinches the nerve, forcing it to stop working well. Usually, your first symptom is numbness or tingling, then hand pain at night, and eventually you start dropping things because your thumb is getting weaker (and you can’t feel properly).

This information is good to have so that you understand WHY the doctor wants you to wear a splint. See, when you bend your wrist in either direction, you pinch the (already irritated) tunnel more, which cuts off the nerve supply and makes your symptoms worse. The purpose of the splint is to keep your wrist “straight” so that the tunnel is as open as possible. Sometimes a splint is all you need to completely recover. Problem solved!

Go ahead and make that “O” again with your thumb and index finger. Now leave a slight gap where your fingers should be touching. When a surgeon performs a carpal tunnel release, he is simply cutting that ligament in half so that it relieves the pressure that has been squishing the nerve. He doesn’t remove anything. He just opens up the space so that your nerve can “breathe” again. Easy peasy! You will usually have to take it easy for a few weeks, and maybe spend another few in therapy, but after that, you are as good as new!

See? That’s not so bad.

Not sure what your condition is? The quiz at [http://www.handpain.co/quiz] will tell you what your condition is and what to do about it.

Any disease related to blood vessels and heart is known as heart disease. However, this is an umbrella term that encompasses many conditions.

Some of the most common types of heart disease are as follows:

Atherosclerosis

In this condition, the walls of arteries constrict due to buildup of plaque. As a result, blood cannot flow easily through the arteries. Hence, your heart has to work harder to pump blood so that it can reach every corner of your body. Sometimes, plaque can break from the arterial wall, obstructing the flow of blood. This can result in a stroke or an attack.

Heart Attack

If blood flow to the heart is blocked due to a blood clot or plaque, the affected region begins to get progressively weaker. This is a heart attack. Typically, if you suffer your first attack, you will have to make certain lifestyle changes so that you can enjoy a normal and productive life. In addition, you may have to take medication to prevent further damage to this organ.

Ischemic Stroke

This is the most common type of stroke wherein the blood vessel supplying blood to the brain gets blocked due to a blood clot. When this happens, the affected part of the brain begins to die due to lack of oxygen and nutrients. As a result, it will prevent you from performing functions, like talking and walking, that you could do before the event occurred.

Another form of stroke is hemorrhagic stroke, which is common in people with untreated, severe hypertension. Here, the blood vessel in the brain bursts, causing bleeding or hemorrhage. The brain has the ability to repair itself and many times, as the cells repair, body functions improve. However, if too many brains cells have necrotized, the damage will be permanent.

Heart Failure

This refers to the inability to pump blood optimally. Hence, adequate amounts of oxygen and blood do not reach vital organs. This condition tends to worsen with time and hence, it requires prompt treatment.

Arrhythmia

If your heart is beating too fast, irregularly or too slow, you are suffering from arrhythmia. Any abnormality in the rhythm affects the working of the organ, and it will be unable to pump out sufficient amounts of blood to meet the requirements of the body.

Treating Heart Disease

Depending on the severity of the condition, doctors prescribe the treatment. It can be as simple as making a few lifestyle changes or taking medications; and as complex as undergoing a major surgery. The treatment looks to minimize the damage caused by the condition while reducing chances of future cardiovascular events.

Pericardial disease or pericarditis is an inflammation of any of pericardial layers. Pericardium is a thin double-walled fibroserous sac that surrounds the heart and consists of:

Fibrous layer – the most superficial pericardial layer.

Serous layer – the inner layer which in its turn is divided into outer parietal and internal visceral layers.

Pericardial fluid – the lubricating serous fluid located in the pericardial cavity between the parietal and visceral layers. It serves to reduce the friction of the heart during cardiac contractions.

Pericardium performs an important function by protecting the heart and maintaining its adequate position so that it could work properly.

Causes

In most cases pericarditis develops as a complication of an underlying disease. Since it’s an inflammatory condition, it might seem that it could be the consequence of an infectious disease. However, there are different types of pericarditis depending in its cause:

Traumatic pericarditis that results from severe injuries or trauma in the chest area. Sometimes it can develop after a surgical intervention in this area.

Pericarditis developing due to tumors located directly on the pericardial layers or in the adjacent areas.

Pericarditis associated with serious metabolic disorders such as Addison’s disease.

The most common causes of pericarditis include rheumatism and tuberculosis. Besides, the provoking factors for pericarditis are myocardial infarction, endocarditis, allergic reactions, and radiation therapy.

Symptoms

Since this pathology usually develops as a complication of other diseases, it lacks specific clinical symptoms; however, depending on the type, pericarditis symptoms include any of the following:

Piercing or sharp pain in the middle or left side of the chest that can spread to one or both shoulders

Attacks of heart palpitations

Fever

Fast or irregular heart rate

Swelling of ankles, legs or feet

Breathlessness

Weakness or fatigue

Dry cough

Treatment

The goals of pericarditis treatment involve:

Relieving symptoms

Treating the underlying conditions

Preventing complications

Treatment methods and its duration are determined by the cause that provoked inflammation and complications, if any. Once experiencing first symptoms of pericarditis, one should seek medical advice as soon as possible.

Complications and prognosis

In general, pericarditis is considered a disease with a benign outcome since timely qualified treatment leads to a complete recovery in the majority of patients. However, in rare case severe pericarditis can cause serious complications:

Cardiac tamponade is caused by too much fluid being collected in the pericardium. It’s a dangerous condition that prevents adequate cardiac contractions and leads to a dramatic decrease in blood pressure.

Chronic constructive pericarditis, a rare disease that needs time for development. It causes the formation of scar-like tissue throughout the pericardium, which makes it stiff thus preventing the heart from functioning properly.

In my conversations with my patients, they are often surprised by 2 facts that don’t seem to go together.

1. That heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability in the world.

2. That the vast majority of heart disease is preventable.

And you also may think, how can this be? How can the leading cause of death and disability be mostly preventable and yet remain the leading cause of death and disability?

The answer of course is complex, but here is why I believe we can’t rely on others to look out for our heart’s health. We need to do it ourselves.

Losing the War

It is clear that we are losing the war on heart disease. Sure we have amazing procedures and medications, but they can only do so much. Heart disease remains the leading cause of death and disability in the world.

What is particularly troublesome about this is that we know exactly how to keep your Heart healthy. Take care of 7 common sense aspects of health and your risk of heart disease is decreased by 80{70d46295a9912f84359651e6c3abf96c22b154ba0e054ec76996ffa62650c75d}. Really, 80{70d46295a9912f84359651e6c3abf96c22b154ba0e054ec76996ffa62650c75d}!

And the benefits don’t end with the Heart. These 7 good health factors cut your risk of stroke by 50{70d46295a9912f84359651e6c3abf96c22b154ba0e054ec76996ffa62650c75d}, your risk of cancer by a third and are the most effective ways to prevent dementia.

Life’s Simple 7

What are these 7 magical things? The American Heart Association calls them “Life’s Simple 7” and they are:

Get Active

Stop Smoking

Eat Better

Manage Blood Pressure

Control Cholesterol

Reduce Blood Sugar

Lose Weight

So, not particularly surprising, mostly common sense, but when taken care of, remarkably effective at improving health, the length and the quality of life.And how are we doing with this knowledge?

By just about any criteria, the answer is poorly. More than 9 million people die each year from heart disease. When you add stroke (the combination of stroke and heart attacks doctors call cardiovascular disease), that is 15 million deaths per year or about a death every 2 seconds)

Now back to our original question. How can this be? How can the leading cause of death and disability be mostly preventable and yet remain the leading cause of death and disability?

Follow the Money

It’s a good question, and no doubt the reasons are complex, but one factor undoubtedly is that a lot of money is made when we are sick.

The financial success of the tobacco industry, the fast food industry, the soft drink industry, the healthcare industry, the pharmaceutical industry and many others depends on you making choices that make your heart sick.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. You don’t have to pay the bottom line of big industry with your life. It is important for you to know that your future health is in your hands.

I will continue to talk about simple steps that can keep your heart in the game.

Looking for the doctor is not always easy. It is even harder when you go out of network and locate a practitioner that can meet your health needs. However, if you are prepared and informed, your will be able to choose the right one. You can also use our tips to find the right one. Read on to find out more about the tips.

1. Look for an Integrative Doctor

In traditional medicine, the objective is to find out the core cause of the disease and then prescribe the right medicine. If you have a health issue, you may want to look for a good integrative doctor. To find the right one, you can ask friends, family or your colleagues. The goal of integrative medicine is to heal a person with a certain health condition.

Make sure you go with a practitioner that has a good deal of knowledge. Moreover, the professional should use a holistic approach in order to treat you. He should find out the root cause of your condition instead of treating the symptoms.

2. Symptoms and Underlying Causes

Today, doctors consider symptoms of a condition to prescribe medicine. On the other hand, an experienced integrative physician will take into account your illness symptoms and then try to find out the root cause of the symptoms. In the end, they may prescribe the right treatment. So, before you hire one, make sure they can identify and address the underlying cause of the problem.

3. A Coach, not a Friend

Your doctor is your coach, not a friend. The doctor will let you know what to do and what not. But it’s also your responsibility to follow their advice. So, during the interview, you should try to find out if the doctor is going to play the role of a doctor or coach. Remember: if the practitioner is friendly, doesn’t mean he is going to act like a friend.

4. Dispensary

It’s a good idea to buy medicine from the doctor’s dispensary. You may want to ask each potential practitioner if they operate their own dispensary. The dispensary should not have just nutritional supplements. In fact, it should have herbal products, natural meds, homeopathic remedies, biological medicines and minerals, to name a few.

5. Insurance

You are not bound to hire an insured doctor. As a matter of fact, top integrative doctors are not insured. The reason is that the paperwork and bureaucracy may waste a lot of the doctor’s time. Moreover, it may limit the therapeutic options a doctor may use. According to a study, doctor’s spend more time doing paperwork than checking patients in their office.

So, if you are going to look for a doctor soon, we suggest that you consider these simple but useful tips. This way you will be more likely to pick the right doctor to get rid of your condition once and for all. Hopefully, you will be able to get rid of your health issue by hiring the right doctor.